Objective:

The objective of the study was to determine the effect of DHEA and T supplementation on systemic lipolysis during a mixed-meal tolerance test (MMTT) and an iv glucose tolerance test (IVGTT).

Design:

This was a 2-year randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Setting:

The study was conducted at a general clinical research center.

Participants:

Sixty elderly women with low DHEA concentrations and 92 elderly men with low DHEA and bioavailable T concentrations participated in the study.

Interventions:

Elderly women received 50 mg DHEA (n= 30) or placebo (n= 30). Elderly men received 75 mg DHEA (n= 30), 5 mg T (n= 30), or placebo (n= 32).

Main Outcome Measures:

In vivo measures of systemic lipolysis (palmitate rate of appearance) during a MMTT or IVGTT.

Results:

At baseline there was no difference in insulin suppression of lipolysis measured during MMTT and IVGTT between the treatment groups and placebo. For both sexes, a univariate analysis showed no difference in changes in systemic lipolysis during the MMTT or IVGTT in the DHEA group and T group when compared with placebo. There was no change in the results after adjusting for the resting energy expenditure, except for a small, but significant (P=. 03) lowering of MMTT nadir palmitate rate of appearance in women who received DHEA.

Conclusion:

In elderly individuals with concentrations of DHEA (men and women) or T (men) below the normal range for young adults, supplementation of these hormones has no effect on insulin suppression of systemic lipolysis.